


Lord Alexius

by blueelvewithwings



Series: Carver Week 2017 [1]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age II, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Carver week 2017, Felix being a shy sweetheart, M/M, Nanny AU, day 6: Ship, regency au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 11:50:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10830690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueelvewithwings/pseuds/blueelvewithwings
Summary: Carver is the youngest Hawke prince and gets shipped off to some Tevinter Lord to be a nanny to his brat of a child. Both the child and the father are not what he expected.Featuring Gereon Alexius junior, sweetest pumpkin and accidental matchmaker in disguise.





	Lord Alexius

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Carver Week 2017 and crossposted on tumblr.   
> I got a prompt for a Regency AU or a Nanny AU and I couldn't decide so I did both. I hope you enjoy~

Carver invardly groaned as he looked out of the window of his carriage. This was just typical, just like he should have come to expect it. As usual, Garrett would get what he wanted so he got to marry both of his boys, Marian didn’t care and ran off with Isabela, Bethany was so sweet and wonderful that everyone just let her do what she wanted, so she got to teach at the university AND be with the one she loved, and that left Carver to do as he was told. And of course what he wanted didn’t matter. So here he was now, sitting in a carriage being shipped off to Maker knows where in Tevinter. He didn’t even know the name of the city where he was going, and he dreaded to think about what it would be like.

He only knew that his destination was the mansion of a Tevinter noble, some prince that had recently lost his wife. Apparently he was so deep in mourning that he wasn’t able to look after his child, and was now looking for a nanny for the kid. A highborn nanny, mind you. His mother had seen the ad in the newspaper, and just a week later Carver had been shipped off with nothing but the clothes he wore, his birth certificate and two suitcases. Carver, fourth and youngest child of the Princess of Kirkwall, reduced to be a nanny. And he wasn’t even good with children. He just hoped he wouldn’t have to wear skirts.

He bit his lip when they finally pulled up in front of their destination, and he was greeted by a butler who seemed a bit taken aback that it wasn’t a woman that came out of the carriage, but a well built, muscled man, but to his credit he tried and masked his surprise immediately. He bowed and called him Lord Hawke and it was everything Carver could do not to snort. He would probably be little more than a glorified arsewipe for a little brat, a servant to a spoiled prince. It wasn’t a station that was befitting his status as a prince himself, but it wasn’t like anyone cared, they all just wanted him out of their hair. Maybe Bethany didn’t, but he was happy that she was allowed to follow her dreams, and he’d gladly suffer this humiliation if it meant that his twin was free to do as she pleased.

The butler showed him to his rooms first and gave him a little while to freshen up before he’d be brought to the Lord of he House to be introduced to his new boss and the child. Maker, he only hoped that the child wasn’t as terrible as he had been as a child. He wouldnt have any idea how to look after him then after all. Not that he had the first idea about childcare in the first place. He quickly washed and put on the clothes his mother had given to him to wear to make a good first impression. Not that he really cared about it, but he didn’t want to anger his new employer by messing up from the start already.

The mansion that he was led through then seemed to be stuffy, somehow, and dark, and not very lived in. He was about to make some biting comment in his head about this not being a very fitting place for a child, but then he remembered that the prince’s wife had recently passed. Well, it did look like a house in mourning, and he couldn’t begrudge him that.

He took a deep breath when the butler finally stopped in front of a door and gave him a pointed look. He took a moment to compose himself and then nodded, causing the butler to open the door. He left Carver outside when he first entered, and he only heard some muffled voices from inside, something that was probably the butler announcing the newly arrived nanny. And then the door opened again and Carver was waved inside. So this was it then… this was the start of his new life.

He entered and looked around, and the first thing he realised was how huge the room was. It took a few moments until his eyes fell on an armchair, with a child of about four seated in it, looking lost in the huge piece of furniture. Behind him was a man who he assumed was the prince, dark skinned with close cropped hair and warm eyes in a face that looked stern and closed off. The whole man looked thin, almost bony, sickly even through his warm skin tone. Carver’s eyes wandered back to the boy, and he noticed that he looked a lot healthier than his father, but very sad. Like he had just lost something very dear to him. Or someone.

Carver attempted a smile, but he wasn’t sure if that would be welcome. This didn’t seem to be a house of many joys and he didn’t know if he was supposed to go along with that or if he was here to cheer the boy up.

„Are you my new nanny?“ It was the boy that spoke up first, and he looked at Carver imploringly. Carver bit his lip, unsure how to respond. It had been drilled into him to always greet his employer first, but not responding to his charge would be very rude as well.

Luckily, the prince came to his rescue. „Yes, sweetheart, it is“ he spoke, and his voice was soft and full of affection for the little boy. He touched his son’s shoulder and then stepped forward towards Carver. „You must be Lord Hawke“ he said with a slight smile towards the Kirkwall prince. Carver allowed himself a tiny smile in return and bowed as much as he thought was appropriate for the occasion. „Please, only Carver, my Lord. Lord Hawke is my older brother.“ Older brother, prince of Kirkwall with his two husbands, who had everything he wanted, including the family name.

„Lord Carver, then“ the prince spoke with a nod. „My name is Felix Alexius, and this is my son Gereon.“

„It’s a pleasure to meet you, my Lord“ Carver told him, and then turned to greet the boy. He was to look after him after all so he couldn’t just ignore him like it was the case in most noble families. Gereon seseemed to appreciate it and gave him a smile as he held out his little chubby hand for Carver to shake. Carver took it and bowed to the little boy as well. „It is nice to meet you, young Master Gereon“ he murmured and was rewarded with a smile.

„Will you play with me now? My mama used to play with me but she is not here anymore, Papa says she’s waiting for us in a better place“ he explained, and Carver was surprised to hear that the late Lady Alexius had apparently looked after her own child. „I will“ he replied then, „if you share with me what you like to play at least.“

It turned out that Gereon did like to share what he liked to play, and thus began Carver’s time as what he liked to think of was a subsitute mother. It was weird at first, but he quickly grew into his new role. Gereon was a lovely boy, lively and open and happy, all the things that Carver wasn’t. But he discovered that it wasn’t something that annoyed him, on the contrary. He quickly grew to adore the boy, and liked spending his time with him. He was with him all day, playing with him and making sure he ate and that he was safe. Sometimes he took him out into the city, to the market or some other place that Gereon wanted to go to. He helped him get dressed in the morning and tucked him into bed at night. His whole life revolved around the little prince, and Carver couldn’t even say that he minded.

The only times that he did not see the boy was when his father spent time with him. Lord Alexius made an effort to spend at least two hours a day with his son, usually in the afternoon or in the evenings when he was finished with his work for the day. He had expressed early on that he wished to spend time with his son alone, without Carver hovering over him. So for a few hours a day Carver had time to himself, and he mostly used it to call Bethany or to bake treats for Gereon that he would give him the following day. Sometimes, if Lord Alexius assured him that they would be gone for a while he even went out into town by himself, just to get away for a while and to be alone.

Other than those moments that he took Gereon off him and brought him back, Carver didn’t see a lot of the lord of the house. He didn’t think a lot about it, as he still seemed to be grieving, or maybe fighting some illness, from what Carver could see. He had likely hired someone to care for his child because he wasn’t able to look after him by himself. Carver was still glad to see that he clearly cared for the kid though, and that he made an effort to spend time with him every day. He never talked to Carver much though, but then again he probably didn’t with the other employees either.

This was why Carver was very surprised when one night he was sitting in the kitchen alone, finally taking his own dinner after having tucked little Gereon into bed, the door opened and none other than Lord Alexius himself came in. Carver immediately stood and bowed, abandoning his food, but Lord Alexius just gave him a tired smile and waved at him to sit down again. Then, to his great surprise, he pulled out a chair and sat down across from Carver.

He fumbled with his hands a bit and looked around without saying anything. He looked decidedly out of place in the kitchen, Carver decided. After a few moments though he looked up and looked straight at Carver.

„My son tells me you make this tea that helps him fall asleep sometimes?“

Carver looked up sharply, studying the other’s face to try and find out what he was trying to go with that. He wouldn’t fire him over some stupid tea, would he? He swallowed, but decided that anything but the full truth would do him a disservice here.

„That much is true, my lord.“ He nodded, looking down at his food. „It is a simple herbal tea, meant to soothe one’s nerves at the end of an eventful day. Nothing spectacular, but it helps the boy and he sometimes asks for it when he has trouble falling asleep. I did not want to bother you about such minorities, but I ask your forgiveness if that is not to your wishes.“ He swallowed, hoping that he would not be thrown out. As little as he had wanted to come here, he had grown attatched to the boy and his mother would never forgive him if he were to be tossed out because of bad behaviour.

What he did not expect was for Lord Alexius to chuckle. „That is not what I meant to imply at all, Lord Carver“ he spoke, looking down at his own soft hands that were so very different from Carver’s rough ones, worn and calloused from fighting for most of his life and from washing little boy’s clothes and cleaning up after him.

„I only wanted to inquire if I could bother you to make a cup of it for me as well? I find that I have troubles falling asleep at night, and he said that it really helps…“

Carver couldn’t help it, he let out a little relieved laugh. He gave a little nod and stood, moving to take a mug and the loose tea from the cupboard after putting the kettle on the heat. „Of course I will, my lord. You need only ask“ he responded and set to measure out the tea. „I cannot guarantee that it will help you, but drinking something warm before bed is always good.“ He waited for the water to boil before pouring it and placing the mug in front of the man. Lord Alexius thanked him with a quiet voice and wrapped his hands around the mug.

„Can I… talk to you for a while?“ Carver looked up at the question, surprised. „Of course, my lord. I am right here“ he said and put his fork down, though at Lord Alexius‘ glance he picked it back up and resumed his eating. He would never have expected the Lord want to talk to him, given that he ignored him most of the time outside of a reasonably friendly hello or goodbye.

„I just… don’t really have many people to talk to, apart from Dorian“ Lord Alexius explained. Carver had gathered from what Gereon had said that Dorian was a childhood friend of the Lord Alexius and that he liked to give Gereon outrageous gifts. He also wasn’t currently in the country, but just a few days back Gereon had told him that the Alexius family had been invited to Dorian’s wedding. So maybe that Dorian was a bit preoccupied these days as well.

He snapped back into the present when he realised that Lord Alexius was still talking. „So I thought I might just… I’m sorry, Gereon talks so highly of you, so I thought I might bother you for a bit of your time… I won’t be long, I promise.“

He was adorable. The thought crossed Carver’s mind unbidden, but he had to admit that it was true. He was adorable with the way he was so shy about someone who was several social stations below him. He wouldn’t even have to ask Carver to make him some tea, he could just order him to.

„There’s no need to hurry, I don’t have anywhere to be, my Lord“ Carver told him and poured a mug of tea for himself. „What can I do for you?“

The way Lord Alexius smiled at him did things to his stomach, and he stared down into his tea to hide his blushing face. It really wouldn‘t do to behave like a blushing virgin just because the man with the sweetest smile was talking to him. Nevermind that that man was also way out of his league.

„I never actually loved her, you know. We had an arranged marriage, and we never fell in love. I liked her as a friend, and she was a formidable woman. There could have been no better mother to our boy. And now… now she‘s gone and I feel so guilty for it. That I couldn‘t be the loving husband she deserved. For wanting to look for a new partner, and for not being able to raise our child on my own...“

Carver was looking at Lord Alexius now, but didn‘t say anything. He‘d never been good with words, he was more a man of actions. And he didn‘t have any ideas about relationships either, nevermind if one of them had died. And this was Lord Alexius, who had never before spoken to him… he really must have a great need to talk if he came to Carver to unload this on him. Then again, Carver thought, with how he was always holed up in his office all day long and rarely went outside, he must be really lonely. Maybe that was why he was now sneaking into the kitchen late at night.

He watched Lord Alexius for a while, and when he spoke he decided to focus on the only part he could relate to. „It is not weakness to ask for help when it is needed, my lord. It is better to make sure your child is well cared for and has a good life to try and raise him alone by all means. The best way to do things is not always the way one would like things to be“ he stated with a little shrug, and didn‘t know why he was treated with such a grateful look.

„And little Gereon absolutely adores you. Not a day passes when he doesn‘t talk about all the things his father can do, and he is always delighted when he comes back from spending time with you. You‘re his world, and you are always there for him. He knows that.“ He gave Lord Alexius a tentative smile, but the other man wasn‘t looking, he was staring into his tea for a long time before taking a sip.

„Thank you, Lord Carver“ he finally said and returned the smile after all. „I know you take good care of my son, that he is in good hands with you.“ Carver could only give a little shrug to that. It was his job after all, and he took that seriously. „It is no less than he deserves“ he murmured.

Lord Alexius murmured something that sounded like agreement, then drained his mug and stood. He bid Carver goodnight and left rather abruptly then, leaving behind an empty mug and a puzzled Fereldan prince.

After that, it just kept happening. Every few days or so, with increasing frequency, Lord Alexius would slip into the kitchen when Carver ate his dinner after Gereon was tucked into bed and the rest of the staff had finished up for the evening already. Carver always made him a mug of the herbal tea and they would talk for a bit. Lord Alexius would talk about his wife or his parents, sometimes his childhood, and after a while he started to ask about Carver, how he was doing, how it had been back in Ferelden, how it felt to be away from home and so on. Carver tried not to let it show too much, but he enjoyed these evenings a lot. He knew he shouldn‘t get his hopes up but he was slowly falling for this man who was so shy and kept to himself a lot but who made an effort to open up to Carver of all people. He knew he was screwed when he woke up from a dream of Lord Alexius‘ hands entwined with his own instead of wrapped around his mug of tea as they always were.

One day, when he was tucking little Gereon into bed, Lord Alexius came into the room with them to watch them for a while. „I‘ve never brought my son to bed before… I wish to learn how.“ Carver just smiled at him and nodded, then explained how he went through Gereon‘s night ritual every day. He stepped back then and let Lord Alexius drag the blanket up to the little boy‘s chin and give him a kiss on his forehead like Carver usually did. He couldn‘t shake a little feeling of glee when Gereon demanded a goodnight kiss from Carver as well and then declared that he always wanted to be brought to bed by his papa and his nanny from now on. Carver bid him a goodnight and said that he was sure that Lord Alexius would be coming to tuck him in as often as he could before leaving with the master of the house, quietly closing the door to the boy‘s room behind him.

„You treat him well. He loves you“ Lord Alexius said, causing a blush to rise on Carver‘s cheeks. „I am merely doing what you hired me for, though I have to admit that I have grown fond of the boy, my lord“ he replied, starting his way towards the kitchen to get his dinner, and Lord Alexius accompanied him, presumably to get his mug of tea.

„Call me Felix.“

„Pardon me?“ Carver looked up, completely flabbergasted.

„Call me Felix. You basically raise my son, and I talk to you more than anyone else these days. It feels wrong to…. I mean, I‘d like it if you could just call me by my given name?“ He looked almost shy all of a sudden, like he always was when it came to giving commands. Carver indulged him with a smile and nodded.

„If you call me Carver in return then.“ That got him a nod, and Carver was glad for it. He had always hated it to be addressed as Lord Carver. He was just a nanny here after all, and his being a prince didn‘t matter at all. Lord Alex-- Felix opened the door for him when they reached the kitchen, and Carver blushed furiously as he stepped through and went straight to prepare the tea. That man would be the death of him.

„Carver? I have a question.“ It was a few days later, and Felix had just entered the kitchen again. „Of course. You know you can ask me whatever“ he replied, sliding the already prepared tea over to the prince.

„You know it‘s Dorian‘s wedding soon, right? And that Gereon and I have been invited?“ Carver nodded, of course that wasn‘t news to him as Gereon had been talking about little else lately. Felix seemed nervous now though, ignoring his tea in favour of wringing his hands and rubbing them together nervously.

„He expects me to bring a date, you know. He wants me to get back on the market… He made a few suggestions, but I was annoyed by his scheming, so I told him I already have a date. Which I don‘t.“

„Well… that‘s not good now, is it? You could always tell him you‘d rather go alone?“ Carver had never met Dorian before, but he couldn‘t imagine that anyone could resist Felix‘ charm once he turned his puppy eyes on them.

„No… that‘s not what I meant“ Felix sighed, dropping his head in his hands. „Maker, why is this so hard?“

Carver made a confused little sound and dropped a hand to Felix‘ shoulder. „Is there anything I can help you with?“ Would he need to try and search for a date for his charge‘s father? It wasn‘t exactly in his job description, but he‘d do it. He‘d do almost anything for Felix.

But the reaction he triggered was not what he had expected. Felix suddenly reached up and he found himself being dragged down, and then _Felix‘ lips were on his and the world just stopped._

When they broke apart again, they were both panting, and Felix‘s hands were wrapped around Carver‘s arms, keeping him close. He leaned their foreheads together and stared up right into Carver‘s eyes.

„I don‘t want anyone else to be my date, Carver. Only you. I don‘t…. I don‘t want to try with anyone. I see the way you treat Gereon and… and I already see you as his other parent, and so does he. He keeps asking why I don‘t kiss you like I kissed his mother, or why we aren‘t wearing wedding bands like proper parents. He‘s wondering about why he‘s calling you Carver and me Papa when we‘re clearly both his parents and… Maker, Carver I don‘t want anyone else. I walk into this kitchen every night and you make me feel light and happy and like I‘m more than the role I have to fill and like I‘m actually worth something as a person, and you‘re so smart and you say such nice things and… Carver, please tell me if I go to far with this. You know I‘d never push you but…“ Felix swallowed and looked up at Carver with unshed tears in his eyes.

And Carver… Carver couldn‘t help but to lean in again, let their lips meet again.

„I would have a hard time watching you with anyone else, Felix. You and Gereon. He‘s like a son to me by now, and that‘s coming from someone who always thought he hated children. But Felix, I‘m just your son‘s nanny, and I‘m a man just like you… there can‘t be much of a future for us if you‘re looking for someone that can give you a family, that you can marry...“ He knew that outside of Tevinter marriages between men and men or women and women were accepted by now, but the same couldn‘t be said for the country that claimed to be so forward but really had it backwards a lot of the time.

„Well, maybe it‘s a good thing I‘ve always wanted to leave Tevinter at some point, right? Not straight away, but… on the long run. That‘s not a worry for now. And you‘re not just a nanny, Carver, you‘re a prince in your own right and you know it. But for now just… will you be my date for Dorian‘s wedding? Will you allow me to court you?“

Carver knew he was blushing, but he couldn‘t help but to pull the thin man into his arms and kiss him deeply as an answer. „Of course I will. The most gorgeous man who happens to be the father of my favourite child, is asking me out, how could I say no?“

His answer was another kiss, this time initiated by Felix, but they both jumped back when something touched their legs. As it turned out it was little Gereon, clutching his stuffed nug and snuggling into Felix‘ leg. „Daddy forgot to give me my tea“ he murmured, rubbing at his eyes.

„Daddy?“ Felix asked even as Carver already scooped him up so his little feet wouldn‘t get cold and handed him the mug that had originally been Felix‘.

„Mhm, Daddy“ Gereon nodded. „Papa kissed him now so he‘s Daddy now. He‘s a man so he can‘t be Mama, and he can‘t be Papa because Papa is already Papa.“ He grabbed his tea and leaned against Carver as he drank, completely unfazed by the two flabbergasted men in the kitchen. Carver smiled and ran a hand through the boy‘s soft hair. He wondered if Felix‘ hair was just as soft and silky or if it was a bit coarser with how curly it looked. Maybe he would be allowed to touch soon…

„Your Papa invited me to come to Dorian‘s wedding with you two, what do you think abou that, buddy?“ he asked, and only gained a little shrug and a smile in return.

„Of course he did, we‘re a family. And Uncle Dorian said he invites all of the family“ he stated and climbed back into Carver‘s arms.

Once had tucked Gereon back into bed, it turned out that Felix was nowhere to be seen. Carver wasn‘t sure if he was allowed to enter his private chambers without permission, so he sighed and went towards his own little room. He just hoped that this wasn‘t just a wonderful dream. Wouldn‘t that be great, being sent off to do the work that all his siblings had refused to do and finding a gorgeous man to be with… and not just anyone, a bloody Tevinter prince! It was almost too much to be true….

He jumped when he reached his door and was jerked out of his thoughts when he realised that Felix was standing there, clad in an expensive looking pyjama and with a single rose in his hand. He reached out and gently took Carver‘s hand in his free one.

„Would you like to come back to my chambers with me? Talk a while, maybe cuddle? If you‘d like to you could stay the night? Clothed, with hands above the waist, I promise….“ Again, he seemed unsure of himself, and Carver quickly leaned in and kissed that look away.

„I‘d love to“ he smiled and dropped his voice low as he purred into Felix‘ ear.

„My Lord.“


End file.
